Paul Dobson

Senior Lecturer

Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business

Senior Lecturer at Staffordshire Business School for over fourteen years, specialising in digital and strategic marketing. This includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), inbound and outbound Marketing, social media and influencer marketing. He also lectures and a practitioner of the digital marketing of crypto and NFT projects. His PhD (currently studying) is the Strategic Marketing of Social Enterprises.

He is the course leader for the MSc Digital Marketing Management. While at Staffordshire University he has also been a key member in setting up the MSc in Digital Marketing Management and the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA). He has also been the Regional Chair of the Chartered Institute of Marketers (CIM).

Paul is successful in supporting businesses in Digital Marketing; examples include: taking a hotel/restaurant from page three of Google to the top of the first page for key search terms, enabling a restaurant to be fully booked mid-week, receiving a 600% return on investment (ROI) for paid advertising, and substantially increasing a charity's online donations.

Prior to lecturing, Paul was a Founder and CEO of Aim for Excellence, Ltd, a team of consultants that specialised in growth and turn-around for commercial, government and non-profit organisations in various countries. This includes leading lean/business process re-engineering (BPR) projects for international logistics companies, training 1000s in performance management, project management to PRINCE2 standards, process management, BPR, and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) assessments, etc. This also included working with major consultancies in the UK, France, Germany and the USA. He is a PRINCE2 Project Management Practitioner.

Paul is a Trustee of The Mitchell Arts Centre, Approach Staffordshire, Better Together Community Support and supports the local charities such as 6 Towns Radio (6TR) and North Staffs TV.

Professional memberships and activities

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Member of the Institute of Place Management, Member of the Academy of Marketing.

Presented various Digital Marketing topics at key events for the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), BeInspired, Marketing 4 Marketers, Chamber of Commerce, etc.

Presented on Social Enterprise Marketing at the Academy of Marketing and Manchester Metropolitan University Postgraduate Research Conference.

Presented using Innovative Technology and Learning at the Association of Business Schools (ABS).

Academic qualifications

BSc (Hons), DIT, DMS, MSc, MA, MBA, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education, Senior Fellow HEA, FCMI, MIPM, MAM

Expertise

Digital Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Conversion Rate Optimisation, Influencer Marketing, Strategic Marketing, Social Enterprise Marketing, Crypto Marketing, plus Blockchain, Bitcoin, Ravencoin, etc.

Research interests

Marketing and Digital Marketing of SMEs and Social Enterprises including charities, non-profits, Digital Marketing of Crypto Projects including Security Stock Options and new coin development e.g. community building.

Enterprise and commercial interests

  • University consultancy work includes supporting businesses with international market penetration, innovation, new product/service development, business start-up, growth and turn-around.

  • Actively involved in supporting SMEs, charities and social enterprises in developing and improving their marketing.

Teaching

  • MSc Digital Marketing Management

  • MBA

  • BA (Hons) Business Management (2 Year Fast Track)

  • BA (Hons) Business Management (One Year Part time Progression route)

  • BA (Hons) Business Management

  • BA (Hons) Business and Human Resource Management

  • BA (Hons) Business and Marketing Management

  • BA (Hons) Business Management & Enterprise

  • BA (Hons) International Business Management

  • BA (Hons) Business Management with Foundation Year

Publications

Dobson, P. and Maheshwari, V. (2020) Internet Marketing, In Nwankwo, S., and Gbadamosi, A., ed. Entrepreneurship Marketing: Principles and Practice of SME Marketing, Routledge: London and New York.

Maheshwari, V., Dobson, P. and Lawrence, A. (2019) Digital Marketing, In: Gbadamosi, A., ed. Contemporary Issues in Marketing, SAGE Publications Ltd: London.

Presented papers at Association of Business Schools (ABS) and Higher Education Academy (HEA) conferences on using technology to improve education and learning.

Presented paper at the 9th Manchester Metropolitan University Postgraduate Research (PGR) Conference on Social Enterprise Marketing.

Co-author of Contemporary Issues in Marketing: Principles and Practice (2019).

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021